16% view retirement saving as top priority

Just 16% of respondents said saving for retirement was a top financial priority, according to research by Capita Employee Benefits.

Its second Annual employee insight report, which is based on interviews with more than 3,000 UK employees, found that 52% of respondents would be willing to save into a pension if they had a better idea of how these work.

With regards to pension investments, 48% of respondents describe themselves as cautious or very cautious investors, while 36% are balanced and 14% describe themselves as adventurous or very adventurous.

More than half (58%) of respondents who have been auto-enrolled had not previously joined any other kind of personal pension schemes.

However, only 22% of auto-enrolled employees are confident that they will have enough in their pension pot to retire comfortably.

The research also found:

45% of respondents intend to live off their state pension.

Respondents feel most valued by their employers when given pay rises (51%), a thank you (29%) and flexible working (18%).

Susan Ring (pictured), chief executive of Capita Employee Benefits, said: “There is clear and consistent evidence that a disconnect continues to exist between employers and employees when it comes to employee benefits.

“Too often, they simply do not resonate with employees and appear stale, rigid and behind the times.

“Employees are not a homogenous mass. We live in an age of individualism where there is enormous competition for people’s attention. The internet, in particular, has driven impatience and most employers have had to adapt to this new reality.

“Those who did not adapt did not survive this recession. To thrive in this modern consumerism, employers need to refocus on their employees and their needs.”